Door check and closer



A. J. ROSENTRETBR.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 1, V

A. J. ROSENTRETER.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

2 l F |||l.||11 I: T4 Ill w my 4 Am W w 6 Z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT J. ROSENTRETEB, OF BOONTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 EDGAR ZAIBRISKIE,

OF MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, AND FBAN K E. HUTGHINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

noon cnncx' AND CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed April 10, 1914. Serial No. 830,892.

To all wk am it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT J. ROSEN- TRETER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boonton, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Checks and Closers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains more particularly to door checks and closers of the class which are embodied in hinges for the doors to which they may be applied.

Door checks and closers of the class to which my invention relates are frequently called hinges and in the use thereof are customarily embedded in the floor below the door, the latter being mounted at its lower inner end upon an actuating spindle or pivot constituting a part of the door check and closer mechanism and held at its upper end by means of a pin or stud projecting downwardly into a socket carried by the upper edge of the door.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a novel spring hinge for the lower edge of double+acting doors, and in the preferred construction embrace therewith cooperating means for checking the closing movement of the door.

My invention resides in the various novel features, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, and will be understood from the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view, with the covering plates omitted, partly in section and partly broken away, of a double-acting spring hinge embodyingmv invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same, the covering plates being in position and the iron bar or shoe of usual construction and ordinarily carried by the lower edge of the door being shown in posi tion on the upper polygonal end of the actuating spindle of the hinge; Fig. 3 isa vertical transverse section through the same on the dotted line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is ,a detached bottom view of the combined yoke and piston rod constituting a portion of the hinge mechanism; Fig.5 is a detached perspective view of an adjustable stop carried by the piston rod for the outer end of the closing spring; Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the actuating spindle of the hinge and the parts carried thereb for cooperation with the oke shown in Fig. 4, and Pig. 7 is a sectiona view ofa detail having to do with the control of the esca e for liquid from the end of the cylinder uring the closing action of the door. In the drawings, 10 designates a suitable mcloslng casing to be embedded within the floor below the door and contain the operative mechanism of the hinge and check, this casing when in use being closed at its upper end by a suitable cover-plate 11 removably secured by screws 12 (Fig. 3) to a thickened section 13 formed along the upper side edges of the casing 10. The upper edges of the casing 10 are flanged to receive the cover plate 11 and allow said plate to lie flush with the upper edges of the casing.

The cas ng 10, when. in position, rests upon a solid base, as at 14 (Fig. 3), and is set within a cement box 15 which is of the same general outline as the casing 10 but of greater width and length than said casmg. The cement box 15 is embedded. in the floor, and at opposite sides of each end is formed with recessed portions or lateral extensions 16 which are open at their upper sides and receive adjusting screws 17 which are horizontal or substantially so and of durable character and engage threaded holes in the sides of the box 15, said screws at their 1nner ends projecting through said sides and enga ng the casing 10 and at their outer ends being within the recessed sections 16 and formed with sockets or openmgs 18 by meansof which, in awell known manner, the screws may be turned to travel inwardly toward the casing 10 or outwardly therefrom. The adjusting screws 17 are of considerable importance, and they are utilized to aline the casing 10 to meet the conditions to be met with with respect to the doors to be applied to the devices of my invention, the object being to so adjust the casin 10 and thereby the mechanism inclose therein, as to compel the door notwithstanding any irregularitiesthat it may have, to normally stand in true'closed position within its frame. There are various conditions which at times, if not corrected, result in the door not closing entirely and with required truenes's, such as an irregularity in the door or door casing or the securing of the shoe to the lower edge of the door, as well as other conditions, and I find that all of these irregularities may be overcome or their natural result obviated by the adjustment of the casin 10 within the cement box 15 by means 0 the screws 17, said screws engaging both sides of each end of the casing and by reason of the space between the inner walls of the 'box' and the outer walls of the casing permitting of such adjustment of the casing within the box that the door may be com elled to close and firmly stand in its desir normal position. The box 15 is firmly embedded in cement or other material, and its u per edge is flush with the upper edge 0 the' casing 10, and finally as a finish to the entire structure I secure a polished plate 19 over the casing 10 and its cover and to apertured ears 20 in the flange surrounding the upper edges of the sides of the box 15, it being convenientto secure the plate 19 m position by means of screws engaging the openings in said ears 20. The plate 19 also covers over and protects the recessed sections 16 of the box 15, as shown in Fig. 3. The casing 10, therefore, has its own coverplate 11, and over this and extending beyond the same and secured to the upper lateral portions of the box 15 I provide the final finishing cover plate 19. The plate 19 may; be removed whenever desired, as when it may be necessary to readjust the casing 10 with relation to the door or repair or' modify any of the parts contained within said casing.

At one end the casing 10 is formed with a seat 21 for the lower end of the actuating spindle 22, and above the seat 21. the cover plate 11 is formed with a thickened section to afford a bearing. 23 for the upper portion of said spindle. The upper end 24 of the spindle 22 is polygonal in outline, as usual, and enters a correspondingly shaped socket in the shoe 25 to be secured to the lower edge of the door to be hung, said shoe 25 and the manner of connecting it with the upper polygonal end of the spindle 22 being well own.

The spindle 22 is formed near its lower end with two oppositely disposed laterally extending yokes, arms or bearings 26, 27 which correspond with each other and receive vertical pins 28, 29 upon which vertical rollers 30, 31, respectively are freely mounted. The yokes 26, 27, when in the normal position of the parts, extend transversely of the casing 10, as clearly repre sented in Figs. 1 and 2. Above the horizontal plane of the rollers 30, 31 the spindle 22 is formed with a central longitudinally extending yoke 32 comprising upper and lower arms between which on a pm 33 is mounted a roller 34.

The spindle 22 is set within a yoke 35 which is rigid with the piston rod 36 and comprises side members 37, an outer bar 38 connecting said sides, an inner member 39 merging into and connecting the yoke with the piston rod .36, and a superposed section or bar 40 whose. outer edge is in the horizontal plane of the roller 34 carried by the spindle, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is formed with two corresponding concaved surfaces 41 which merge together at a central point 42, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and '4. The outer bar 38 of the yoke 35 is formed with a central inwardly extending pro'ection 43. The. sides 37 and outer bar 38 of t e yoke 35 are in the horizontal plane of the rollers 30, 31. During the use of the hinge, the yoke 35 and piston rod 36 have a longitudinal movement within the casing 10, and as suitable means for positioning said yoke I provide the casing 10 with inte 'al side lugs 44 and transverse floor lug or fange 9 upon which the yoke rests and form the cover plate 11 with downwardly extending lug sections 45 which are immediately over the outer squared end'portions of the section 40 of the yoke, the lugs 44, 9, 45 thus co'ciperating to properly position the yoke 35 and guide it in its longitudinal movements.

The piston rod 36 has a threaded section. 46 and beyond said section is of reduced thickness and flat on its upper and lower sides and formed with a vertical hole 47. Upon the threaded section 46 of the piston rod 36 is applied a threaded collar or sleeve 48 which is recessed at its outer end, as at 49, and annularly flanged as at '50, this flange having a polygonal edge formation adapting it to receive a wrench. The flange 50 of the collar or sleeve 48 forms a stop for one end of the coiled spring 51 and the other end of said spring is in engagement with rigid flanges 52 formed integrally with the inner walls of the sides of the casing 10 and extending toward each other, as shown in Fig. 1. The flanges 52 form a permanent stop for one end of the spring 51 and the sleeve or collar 48 constitutes an adjustable sto ad ustirig the collar or sleeve 48 on the threaded section of the piston-rod, the ten sion of the spring 51 may be modified to suit the particular'door in connection with which the hinge'zmay be employed. The outer end of the piston'rod 36, is pivotally connected by a pin 53 with the piston 54, said piston havlng two longitudinally extending ears or lugs 55 between which the reduced end of the piston rod passes and for the other end of said spring. By

through which and the hole 47 in said rod form of a. disk and provided with a port 56 controlled by a 'ball valve 57 of lmown character. When the piston 54 is moving in one direction, as during the opening of the door, the ball valve 57 performs no duty, but allowsthe liquid flowing into the port 56 to the pin 53 extends. The piston 54 is in the pass by it and fill in the outer end of the cylinder 58, and when said piston is moving in the opposite direction, as during the closing of the door, the pressure of the liquid against said ball valve 57 forces it to a position in which it closes the port 56, and at such time the only escape for the liquid within the cylinder 58 is through the bypass port 59. The piston 54 is pivotally connected with the piston rod 36, and this feature in itself is of considerable importance in enabling said piston to have a direct longitudinal movement within the cylinder 58 regardless of any variations, durmg the operation of the hinge, in the almement of the piston rod with said cylinder. The recess 49 in the outer end of the sleeve or collar 48 forms a free housing around the articulated portions of the piston 54 and rod 36, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the flange 50 on the collar or sleeve 48, together 'wlth the outer end of the spring 51, may enter the cylinder 58, as shown, thereby permitting the use of a spring of considerable length and also a cylinder 58 of considerable length, both of which features tend to enhance the value and efficiency of the hinge as a whole. The fact that the spring 51 and collar or sleeve 48 may enter the cylinder 58 also enables me to employ a cylinder of considerable interior area adapted to receive such adequate body of the liquid, which will substantially fill the casing 10, as to secure a desirable checking action during the closing of the door and an ease in the operation of the parts of the hinge which will tend to their long continued use without undue wear or derangement.

The cylinder 58 has plain walls, and at its rear end is formed with a transverse outwardly projecting substantial flange 60 which is fastened at its end portions by screws 61 upon vertical lugs 62 cast with the casing 10 and shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cylinder 58 is rigidly secured and has no swiveling or similar movement. The bypass 59 in the outer end of the cylinder 58 is in communication with a port 63 in the lower end of a rotatable pin 64 and which pin, by being adjusted in one direction or the other, serves to control the extent of outlet from the by-pass 59 in a manner well understood in this art. The pin 64 has a flattened upper end or flange 65, and this part 65 is engaged by the bifurcated lower end of a rotatable pin 66 having a screw slot 67. The upper end of the pin 66 projects through the cover plate 11 and finishing plate 19, the latter having a hole therein somewhat larger than the diameter of the pin 66 so that said pin may be exposed at its upper end and yet not interfere with the adjustment of the casing 10 by means of the adjusting screws 17.

The oil or other liquid to be placed in the casing 10 may be supplied through an opening 68'which is normally kept closed by means of the screw 69, as usual.

In the employment of the hinge it will be understood that, as usual, the upper end of the door is engaged by a pin or stud and the lower end of the door carrying the shoe 25 is mounted on the upper end of the spindle 22. In the normal condition of the parts, when the door is closed, the several features of the mechanism are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. lVhen the door is opened in one direction it turns the spindle 22 and causes the same to carry, for illustration, the roller 30 against the rear bar 38 of the yoke 35, this action forcing said yoke and the piston rod 36 outwardly in opposition to the force of the spring 51, said spring during this movement being compressed between the flange 50 of the collar or sleeve 48 and the rigid stops 52, and the piston 54 being drawn toward the open end of the cylinder 58. During this movement of the piston 54 the liquid from the general casing, and in the open portion of the cylinder 58, will pass freely through the port 56 into the closed end of the cylin der. Upon the release of the door the spring 51 acting through the piston rod 36 and yoke 35, will reverse the motion of the spindle 22 and cause said spindle, acting through the shoe 25 to close the door, the door during its closing movement being cushioned or checked by the closing of the port 56 by the ball valve 57 and the restricted escape of the liquid from the closed end of the cylinder through the by-pass 59. When the door is opened in a reverse direction the other roller or the one numbered 31 will be carried against the cross bar 38 of the yoke 35 and, as before, the piston rod and yoke will thereby be moved outwardly in opposition to the force of the spring 51, the presence of the rollers 30, 31, permitting this hinge to be employed on a double-acting door. The hinge may also be employed on a single acting door and when so employed one of the rollers 30, 31 may be omitted, but would do no harm if present. hen the door is opened to a full open or right-angular position, the roller 30 or 31, as the case may be, will ride upon the lug 43 of the cross-bar 38 and resting there on a center line to the door or through the operative mechanism of the hinge, the door will be held in an open position. During the rotation of the spindle 22 the roller 34 will ride against one or the other of the concaved surfaces 41 of the bar 40 in accordance with the direction of motion given to the spindle. For a singleacting door only one of the surfaces 41 would be required. lVhen the door mount ed on the spindle 22 is moved to its wide open position, the roller 34 may ride ofl from the surface 41 of the bar 40 and pass above &

a side bar 37 of the yoke 35, the side bars 37 being on a lower horizontal plane than the bar 40 and roller 33.

Without limiting myself to details of form or construction otherwise than the following claims may require, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In mechanism of the character described, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door having oppositely extending transverse arms carrying side rollers and forwardly projecting arms carrying a center roller, said side rollers and center roller being on different horizontal planes; a slidable yoke in which said spindle is placed and which has a rear bar in the horizontal plane of said side rollers and to be engaged by them, a front bar in the horizontal plane of said center roller and to cooperate therewith and side bars connecting said rear and front bars; a door closing spring connected at one end with said yoke to move the same in one direction and thereby actuate said spindle, and a stop for the other end of said spring.

2. In mechanism of the character described, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door having oppositely extending transverse arms carrying side rollers and forwardly projecting arms carrying a center roller, said side rollers and center roller being on different horizontal planes; a slidable yoke in which said spindle is placed and which has a rear bar in the horizontal plane of said side rollers andto be engaged by them, a front bar in the horizontal plane of said center roller and to cooperate therewith and side bars connecting said rear and front bars; a door closing spring connected at one end with said yoke to move the same in one direction and thereby actuate said spindle, and a stop for the other end of said spring, said rear bar having at its center and in line with said spindle a projection (43) to serve as a seat for'one or the other of said side rollers when the door is in wide open position.

3. In mechanism of the character described, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door having oppositely extending transverse arms carrying side rollers and forwardly projecting arms carrying a center roller, said side rollers and center roller being on different horizontal planes; a slidable yoke in which said spindle is placed and which has a rear bar in the horizontal plane of said side rollers and to be engaged'by them, a superposed front bar in the horizontal plane of said center roller and having concave surfaces at opposite sides of its vertical centerto cooperate with said roller, and side bars connecting said rear and front bars and bedoor,

ing in the horizontal plane of said rearbar; a door closing spring connected at one end with said yoke to move the same in one direction and thereby actuate said spindle, and a stop for the other end of said spring.

4. In mechanism of the character described, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door having oppositely extending transverse arms carrying side rollers and forwardly projecting arms carrying a center roller,

said side rollers and center roller being on difierent horizontal planes; a slidable yoke in which said, spindle is placed and which has a rear bar in the horizontal plane of said side rollers and to be engaged by them, a front bar in the horizontal plane of said center roller and to cooperate therewith and side bars connecting said rear and front bars; a door closing spring connected at one end with said yoke to move the same in one direction and thereby actuate said spindle, a stop for the other end of said spring, and a cover-plate fastened on said inclosing casing and aifording a bearing for the upper end of said spindle, said casing having inte-' grally therewith supporting lugs for said yoke and said cover-plate having integrally therewith side lugs extending downwardly into near relation to the upper side surfaces of said yoke.

5. A door check and closer comprising, in combination, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the a slidable yoke in operative relation to said spindle to be actuated by the same on the opening of the door and to actuate the same when the door is to close, a piston rod connected with said yoke, a coiled doorclosing spring on said rod, a stop on said rod for one end of said spring, an independent stop for the other end 'of said spring, a piston pivotally connected with the end of said piston rod and having a valved port,

and a checking cylinder open at one end to receive said p1ston and having a restricted ouglet for a checking fluid from its other en 6. A door check and closer comprising, in combination, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door, a slidable yoke in operative relation to said spindle to be actuated by the same on the opening of the door and to actuate the same when the door is to close, a piston rod connected with said yoke and having a threaded outer section, a coiled door-closing spring on said rod, an internally threaded adjustable stop, on the threaded section of said rod for one end of said spring, an independent stop for the other end of said spring, a piston pivotally connected with the end of said p1ston rod and having a valved port, and a checking cylinder open at one end to receive said piston and havin a restricted outlet for a checking fluid from its other end.

7. A door check and closer comprising, in

combination, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door, a slidable yoke in operative relation to said spindle to be actuated by the same on the opening of the door and to actuate the same when the door is to close, a piston rod connected with said yoke, a colled doorclosing spring on said rod, a stop on said rod for one end of said spring, an independent stop for the other end of said spring, a piston connected with said piston rod, and a checking cylinder secured to said casing and open at one end and being of sufiicient diameter to receive said piston, the said stop on the piston rod and the outer end of said spring, said cylinder having a restricted outlet for a checking fluid from its other end. 8. A door check and closer comprising, in combination, an inclosing casing, a spindle mounted therein for connection with the door, a slidable yoke in operative relatlon to said spindle to be actuated by the same on the opening of the door and to ac tuate the same when the door is to close, a piston rod connected with said yoke and having a threaded outer section, a coiled door-closing spring on said rod, an internally threaded adjustable stop on the threaded section of said rod for one end of said spring, an independent stop for the other end of said spring, a iston pivotally connected with the end 0 said plston rod and having a valved port, and a checking cylinder open at one end to receive said piston and having a restricted outlet for a checking fluid from its other end, said adjustable stop being recessed in its outer face to receive the adjoining pivoted together or tions of the iston and piston rod an of pollygonal out 'ne on the exterior of its outer en 9. A floor spring-hinge of the character described, comprising an inclosing casing, a spindle therein for connection with the door and also cooperative spring, piston and checking-cylinder mechanism, a removable cover-plate for said casing up through which said spindle projects, a cement-box to receive sai casing and at its upper edges being flush with the upper edges thereof,

and a finishing cover-plate over said casing and its cover-plate and the top of said cement-box and secured to said cement-box.

10. A floor spring-hinge of the character described, comprising an inclosing casing, a spindle therein for connection with the door and also cooperative spring, piston and checking-cylinder mechanism, a removable cover-plate for said casing up through which said spindle projects, a cement-box to receive said casing and being longer and wider than the same, adjustable means at both ends of said cement-box to engage said casing for alining the same with respect to the door to be hung, and a finishing coverplate for said casing and box.

11. A floor spring-hinge of the character described, comprising an inclosing casing, a spindle therein for connection with the door and also cooperative spring, piston and checking-cylinder mechanism, a removable cover-plate for said casing up through which said spindle projects, a cement-box to receive said casing and being longer and wider than the same, transverse adjusting screws at both ends of each side of said box to engage said casing for alining the same with respect to the door to be hung, and a finishing cover-plate for said casing and box.

12. A floor spring-hinge of the character described, comprising an inclosing casing, a spindle therein for connection with the door and also cooperative spring, piston and checking-cylinder mechanism, a removable cover-plate for said casing up through which said spindle projects, a cement-box to receive said casing and being longer and wider than the same, transverse adjustlng screwsat both ends of each side of said box to engage said casin for alining the same with respect to the oor to be hung, and a finishing cover-plate for said casing and box, said box having at opposite sides of its end portions laterally extended sections recessed from above toadmit the outer ends of ald screws and closed from above by said fimshing cover-plate.

Signed at New York city, 1n the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of April, A. D. 1914.

ALBERT J. ROSENTRETER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MARION, CHARLES C. GILL. 

